# Public Safety (GPS)

## Title 14. Emergency Management

### Subtitle 12. Office of Resilience

#### Section 14-1201

There is an Office of Resilience in the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.

#### Section 14-1202

(a) The head of the Office of Resilience is the Chief Resilience Officer, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.

(b) The Chief Resilience Officer is in the executive service of the State Personnel Management System and is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget.

(c) The Chief Resilience Officer is responsible for coordinating State and local efforts to build resilience to risks identified in the Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan.

(d) The duties of the Chief Resilience Officer include:

  (1) coordinating State and local efforts to build resilience to risks identified in the Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan;

  (2) developing a State Resilience Strategy and assisting local agencies in their efforts to prepare and implement resilience strategies;

  (3) coordinating across State and local agencies to prepare and implement resilience strategies;

  (4) identifying, securing, and assisting in accessing federal, State, and private funding streams and technical assistance that can be used to support State and local resilience efforts;

  (5) working with business leaders from industries vulnerable to the risks to identify best practices for preparing for and responding to risks; and

  (6) ensuring that investments prioritize vulnerable communities and environmental justice.

#### Section 14-1203

(a) The Office of Resilience shall:

  (1) coordinate and administer federal prevention, protection, mitigation, and recovery-focused programs;

  (2) administer State mitigation grants and loans;

  (3) identify flood risk assessment tools for use by programs and projects statewide;

  (4) administer other programs as directed by the Secretary and the Chief Resilience Officer;

  (5) prioritize vulnerable communities and ensure that investments are made with a focus on environmental justice; and

  (6) conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions to support the development of local resiliency plans.

(b)

  (1) On or before January 1, 2024, and each January 1 thereafter, the Office of Resilience shall report to the State Treasurer, the Governor, and, in accordance with Sec. 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on the current status and efficacy of State and local resiliency efforts.

  (2) The report shall include:

    (i) a summary of the activity of the Office of Resilience during the previous calendar year;

    (ii) recommendations based on information gathered by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; and

    (iii) plans to increase resiliency in the State for the next year, 2 years, 5 years, and 10 years, including potential funding sources for the plans.

#### Section 14-1204

(a) With support from appropriate State agencies and State entities, the Office of Resilience shall coordinate strategies and improve interagency coordination to meet the following goals:

  (1) ensuring rapid State support following emergencies;

  (2) minimizing flooding in residential areas;

  (3) promoting climate-informed investments;

  (4) informing and educating the public on emergency safety and risks;

  (5) building neighborhood resiliency;

  (6) improving coastal resilience;

  (7) adapting agricultural practices to respond to increasing precipitation, temperatures, and soil salinization; and

  (8) reducing the potential impact of other hazards identified in the Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan.

(b) The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science shall coordinate with the Office of Resilience to:

  (1) establish a resilience baseline for the State;

  (2) develop a statewide resilience assessment to support local government benchmarking for use in a statewide resilience tracker to help identify investment needs;

  (3) develop indicators to monitor the effectiveness of resilience efforts and establish future goals; and

  (4) produce an economic analysis and policy benchmark report to include:

    (i) an examination of the financial impact of extreme weather or other hazardous events in the State;

    (ii) an estimate of necessary resources needed to prepare for and reduce the adverse effects of hazardous events in the State;

    (iii) the identification of available funding sources, including those used by other states; and

    (iv) a comparison of State policies and resilience efforts with those of other vulnerable states, including Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.

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Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)